Only Her

“I don’t know why not. He’s done well by me.”

“Sounds good. I know Skylar’s assets. Can you give me a rough estimate of yours? Do you own a home?”

“I sold it before I moved back to Haley Cove,” Luka replied. “I wanted to make a home here now.”

“Any vehicles, recreational homes or vehicles, boats?” Jason asked.

“I haven’t had time for stuff like that. Only my Escalade,” Luka told him.

“Savings accounts? Retirement Accounts? Checking?”

Luka cleared his throat. “I have all of them. I can have Steve put Skylar down as my beneficiary with Ava as secondary on everything including the life insurance.”

Jason laid his pen down. “Do you think that is wise? You two aren’t married.”

“She’s the mother of my child Jason. She’ll take care of her if something happens to me.”

“What if you get married and have more children Luka?”

“Not happening,” he replied.

Jason had picked up his pen and started to write. He laid it down again. “I can’t change your mind? You can setup the beneficiary as Ava for it to go to her trust.”

“Listen to him Luka.”

He glanced at Skylar. “No. You’ll take care of Ava should something happen to me.”

“How much are we talking about Luka?” Jason asked.

He glanced down at the desk in front of him. Luka clasped his hands in his lap. “I have a life insurance policy that currently has my mother listed as beneficiary for ten million dollars.”

Skylar choked.

“I have a portfolio that Steve manages worth forty million.”

“I need water,” Skylar gasped.

Jason rose from the desk and walked to the hallway. “Becca, get me two bottles of water.”

It took several minutes but she eventually brought her uncle who was still standing in the doorway water. “Thanks kid,” he told her. He shut the door in her face. He handed one to Luka and opened the other one for Skylar. She gulped it down.

“You are not making me the beneficiary. That is too much responsibility. Put it in a trust for Ava and have Steve handle all the details or Jason. Somebody else just not me. I’ll ask for money if I need it. Otherwise, it will be there when Ave needs it for college or a car. Her first home. Please Luka, don’t do this to me.”

He dropped his chin. She knew he was thinking. “I trust you Skylar with my life.”

She swallowed hard. “I appreciate that Luka but that is too much responsibility. I want that money to be there when Ava needs it. I don’t want to risk it.”

“All right,” he told her. “Set it up with Steve so that Ava has a trust fund to be managed by Steve and you Jason. If Skylar needs money for Ava, it’s hers to use until Ava turns twenty-five then she can do whatever she wants with it but

my recommendation for her would be to continue letting you both handle her finances.”

“I’ll put that in the will.”

“Happy?” Luka asked Skylar.

“God yes,” she replied.

“Maybe you should let Steve tell you about my retirement account and my checking and savings so I don’t have to carry Skylar out of here.”